US audiences have now been patiently waiting for almost nine months for London singer/songwriter Marika Hackman’s first North American tour in more than five years, announced late this January, shortly after the release of her self-produced (along with Sam Petts-Davies and longtime collaborator Charlie Andrew) fourth LP, Big Sigh, which had the artist performing every element of music, aside from the brass and strings. The album, the first of Marika’s thirties, dropped courtesy of legendary British label Chrysalis Records (her first for them) on January 12th and was the first full-length of original music from Hackman since 2019’s Any Human Friend. Marika Hackman’s long-awaited, month-long North American jaunt kicks off later this week in Toronto and features a stop at our very own Johnny Brenda’s on September 11th. I recently got a chance to chat with the alternative singer/songwriter via Zoom about the struggles of making her latest album, finally getting to tour those songs, and her excitement to return to the States.
Izzy Cihak: Early this year you released Big Sigh, which was your first studio album in a while. How do you feel like it compares to previous releases, in terms of sounds, themes, and even just the process? I know that you said it was the hardest record and you had a bit of a struggle to get back to making music after lockdown.
Marika Hackman: Yeah, it took a long time to write. I was struggling with writer’s block, which was quite stressful. But, in terms of it comparing, I think because of that, I really focused on just actually writing the songs. I wasn’t really envisioning what the record was going to be. I wasn’t giving it an identity before it was ready. So, I think it’s a very honest record. It’s very present in itself and quite straight up and intense, which I really like about it. It feels quite direct. So yeah, it was a struggle, but I think in a weird way it taught me a few things about my approach to making records.
Izzy: What have been some personal highlights for you since the album dropped? You’ve done a bit of touring behind it already.
Marika: It’s been nice getting back out on the road and connecting with people again and seeing crowds. Getting to perform the songs live has been really nice. Highlights-wise, playing the London show is always amazing: I live here, it’s always fun, the crowd is always great. So, that was a bit of a highlight. Getting it out was this huge highlight. Because it’s been so long, it felt like I could finally release that and let it go, and it was out in the world and no longer this private cross to bear. I could finally share it with everyone else and interact about it, which is much more exciting.
Izzy: You’ve released a number of really cool music videos from the album, which I know you made yourself, or heavily worked on yourself. What is it that inspires the visual elements of your work?
Marika: I always have very strong images in my head when I’m writing music. My lyrics are very descriptive and they conjure up a lot of quite strong imagery. So, when it comes to making videos, I usually have already been thinking about something whilst I’ve been writing, or in the studio or whatever. So, they’re quite close to the surface and I always have these very strong ideas. I’ve found in the past, working with other directors, I’ve made videos that I like, but they aren’t what I kind of imagined, they’re not really what I had in mind, things have gotten changed along the way. And I just think simplicity is very key. I think a music video is an accompaniment to the music, it’s not a feature film. So, you can kind of keep it really simple, keep it bold, and that’s what I was going for with this record.
Izzy: Your most recent single is “The Girl Who Fell to Earth,” which I know you did for the Netflix show Geek Girl, so I’m curious how that particular track came about?
Marika: It’s a cover of a Gaz Coombes song, so I just kind of took it apart in the studio and layered it all back up again. I love doing covers. I find it a really rewarding thing to do, because you can flex all the fun muscles of music production without having the intensity of having to write the song in the first place, which is the most high-pressure aspect. So, it’s always a really enjoyable experience taking someone else’s song and seeing where you can go with that. It’s a bit like tracing something or a kind of paint-by-numbers thing. You can kind of make it your own, but it exists, which just means it’s ten times easier.
Izzy: You’re about to kick off your first American tour in five years, which we’ve been anticipating since January, which was a while ago [laughs]! Are there any shows that you’re especially excited to play?
Marika: I am very excited to play Seattle, just because I used to be on Sub Pop and I love the vibe over there. I feel like it kind of breaks up the West Coast quite nicely, because it has more like East Coast sensibilities, which I find refreshing [laughs]. But I’m also very excited to play places I’ve never played before, like I’ve never been to Tucson and Albuquerque and stuff, and I’ve heard some great things about Tucson, so I’m very intrigued! Going through all that South section is going to be very interesting. But honestly, I am excited for every single show! Everywhere is so different and the people are so different and it’s an adventure. Some of the venues I’m playing again, some I’ve never played before. It’s just gonna be a real mixing pot of fun and new experiences.
Izzy: Do you notice notable differences between US audiences and either UK or European audiences, or is it just kind of like audiences are different in every city?
Marika: There’s an element of that. European audiences are different to UK audiences, but yeah, American audiences are different to both of those. I think that Americans feel much more willing to show their appreciation and their connection with the music, which is really enjoyable as a performer. I find that really rewarding. Sometimes I feel like with British audiences, so much music passes through, and we’re quite a small island, I think people are kind of used to it always being there. Sometimes you feel like, “This is just another gig out for you,” where when I go to America, it’s like, “Wow! Guys, I haven’t seen you in five years! This is great!” And it’s really rewarding to have that energy in the room!
Izzy: What can be expected of the live show this time around when you play Johnny Brenda’s?
Marika: What’s really exciting is that I’m actually able to bring my UK band over to America for the first time, because I got some government funding, which is great. Normally, I’ve had to work with other bands out there or find a way of doing it, but I actually get to bring my working band out. So, that’s awesome! It’s hard to whittle down a setlist now because there’s so much music out, but it’s a good mix. There’s stuff from every record. We might shake it up each night. We’ll see how we go, so there could be some surprises on the way. My wife is supporting, as Art School Girlfriend…
Izzy: I just saw that, actually…
Marika: Yeah! So, that’s nice, and I think she’s gonna play in the band, as well. So, we’ll have an extra member. That should be very exciting. I think it’ll be kind of emotional and intense. I like to really make an arc through a set, so there’s the fun, big, dance-y, shout-y, tongue-in-cheek fun kind of queer moments, and then there’s the darker, more intense, moodier moments; there’s a solo section. I like to really do the whole spectrum of emotions through one hour-and-a-half performance.
Izzy: You play a pretty wide variety of settings, from barrooms and listening rooms to nightclubs and even a lot of really huge festivals, so I’m curious how you like playing intimate, standing-room barroom settings like Johnny Brenda’s in particular? They’re definitely my favorite.
Marika: I love them! And if they have a bar out front, that’s even better! It feels informal and it feels low-pressure, but it feels like you can really connect. I like small spaces, I like being around everyone. It’s great! And I’ve played Johnny Brenda’s before and I really, really enjoyed it. That’s one of the places I’m looking forward to going back to. That dive bar energy is like my favorite thing to be in and to play in, as well.
Izzy: You’ve done a lot of touring over the years, so I’m curious if you’ve developed any particularly significant touring routines or rituals, whether it be things you do before or after shows or things to pass the time when you’re on the road?
Marika: Me and my band play the card game Hearts a lot, and we do like a rolling score for the entire tour, so it gets quite intense a few weeks in [laughs]. That’s kind of how we pass time during the day. Apart from that, we’re a pretty chill bunch. It’s nice to have the routine, but we don’t have any crazy things. I think we’re gonna try and be quite active this time around. We’re gonna try and find some tennis courts and some swimming pools and some stuff on the road, so we can do a bit of sporty stuff. And then I always save my first cigarette of the day for after the set. When I finish a set, I go outside and have a cigarette and that drink, and that’s the best moment of the day.
Izzy: Finally, what’s next for you? How are you hoping and planning to close out 2024, after your current dates wrap in October?
Marika: I’m hoping to get home and sit down and do a shit ton of writing and build up the stuff I’ve already written for the next record, ‘cause I’m kind of hoping maybe early next year I can get into a studio and start recording. That’s my plan, and whether I stick to it or not, I don’t know, but that would be the ideal [laughs].
Izzy: And what can be expected of the new sounds, if that’s something you’re willing to share?
Marika: Right now, it’s very much in writing stages, so I’m just focusing on the actual crafting of the songs, at the moment. I don’t know sonically quite where it’s gonna go, which is exciting. This time around I’m gonna try and leave that as late as possible, so I’m not making demos at home and then just rerecording them in the studio. I want to have that fun back in the studio. That’s kind of where the magic happens, not to be trite, but to have that feeling and have that get captured on the actual record. That’s what I’m aiming for, but who knows? I haven’t even thought about palette or what I’m going for with that, it’s just songs right now.
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